Sex offenders rally against laws

Sunday

Sex offenders and their supporters ignored a booing crowd during a rally in front of the Statehouse yesterday to protest the toughening of Ohio's registration laws.

Sex offenders and their supporters ignored a booing crowd during a rally in front of the Statehouse yesterday to protest the toughening of Ohio's registration laws.

Thomas Madison, a convicted sex offender from Oregon who founded a nonprofit group in defense of sex- offender rights, helped organize the nearly three-hour event. He told a crowd of about 50 supporters that sex-offender registration laws do the public no good, and that no one should feel any shame for standing up for what they believe in.

As 12 speakers took turns at the podium and decried Ohio's registry law, about 25 people gathered along High Street to represent the other side. They brought with them little sympathy.

"This sickens me, and I'm here because I'm not going to take this crap," said Cherchio, of Columbus. "They don't want to register any longer? Well, I think they all should register for life. I'm outraged they have any rights at all."

Madison said he chose Ohio for a "Silent No More" rally because the recently approved changes to this state's sex-offender registration requirements are unfair.

"The government cannot protect your children," he said. "Parents must do that."

To bring Ohio into compliance with a federal law, lawmakers and Gov. Ted Strickland approved changes this year to the classification, registration and notification requirements imposed on sex offenders. The changes, which take effect Jan. 1, will extend the required registration time for many offenders. A constitutional challenge to the law has been filed with the Ohio Supreme Court.

Cherchio said she was surprised that so many people showed up in support of Madison and his message. Currently, 16,316 registered sex offenders are listed on Ohio's electronic notification Web site.

Madison, despite writing in printed materials that he is required to register as a sex offender, is not listed on the Web site of offenders in the state of Oregon.

According to literature, a goal of his group is to dismantle publicly available sex-offender registries. Law-abiding citizens who have done their time should be left alone, he said.

One high-school sophomore from Paulding County in western Ohio agrees. Ali Metz, 16, has an older brother in jail, convicted of pandering sexually oriented material. His mother said he took pictures of his underage girlfriend.

Under Ohio's new classification system, Metz's brother must register with authorities for 15 years once out of jail. Metz defended him at the rally.

"The laws have to be changed so that people like him can live a normal life," she said. "All he did was fall in love with a girl."

hzachariah@dispatch.com

Booed by protesters, supporters say offenders who have done time should be left alone.

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